Originally posted by: dmh1167
Im not saying copper plugs cant be run, what I am saying is paying a shop top dollar to put in non OE plugs based on what fits the hole and is cheap is very common and the extra work on the coil, plugwires, and ignition module as the plug burns away is false economy. I've pulled plugs gapped at 44 and after 30k miles the gap increased to 50 to 52 thousandths . This works modules and coils into the dirt a bit early. Good Luck Hope I answered your question . Good luck 🙂
No, you've been saying that copper plugs get "spanked" by modern ignition systems, which is patently false. While it's true that copper plugs will only last between 15,000 and 30,000 miles while platinums may last 100,000 miles, the simple fact is that coppers have
always needed replacement at 15,000 to 30,000 miles; this has nothing whatsoever to do with some mythical increase in coil voltage for modern engines.
You have also claimed that copper plugs are somehow lower quality than platinum and iridium plugs. This too is patently false. Platinum and iridium plugs offer a longer service life, but this is due to the inherent properties of the materials, not any difference in the "quality" of the plugs. In fact, given that many people who run high-performance engines choose to run copper plugs and change them often rather than running platinum or iridium because coppers allow higher performance, there are valid arguments that copper is higher "quality" with regard to performance while platinums are higher "quality" with regard to longevity. There are different ways to asses "quality".
You have also said that copper plugs will "foul" if used in a modern engine. Fouling is caused by contaminants in the combustion chamber, by the engine running excessively rich, or by using a plug that is the incorrect heat range. It is simply not possible for fouling to be caused by using a copper plug in an engine that calls for platinum or iridium plugs unless the copper pugs are of the wrong heat range.
Not one person in this thread has disputed that copper plugs have a shorter lifespan. What has been said, however, is that there are positive aspects to using copper plugs and that the tradeoff in lifespan is inherent to copper plugs and is not due to any additional voltage from modern ignition systems.
ZV